As first reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday afternoon, the Cardinals have fired scouting director Chris Correa amidst federal and team investigations into the Cardinals’ breach of the Houston Astros computer network known as Ground Control.

General manager John Mozeliak confirmed to reporters at Busch Stadium that Correa has been fired shortly after the report was released. “He was on administrative and subsequently was terminated yesterday,” Mozeliak told reporters, including KMOV’s J.J. Bailey. “At this time it’s just best to understand it’s an open investigation and any further comments aren’t in anyone’s best interest.

According to the Post-Dispatch report from Robert Patrick and Derrick Goold, team lawyers said that Correa has already been on “an imposed leave of absence.” Lawyer James G. Martin, who represents general manager John Mozeliak and chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., wouldn’t comment on the reason for the separation or provide any further details, simply telling the Post-Dispatch that the team was continuing to investigate. Martin also declined to comment on whether any team employee has admitted their role in the breach, citing the ongoing federal investigation.

Although Correa himself declined comment, his lawyer Nicholas Williams provided the Post-Dispatch the following statement, accusing former Cardinals employees of stealing information from the organization prior to joining the Astros:

“Mr. Correa denies any illegal conduct. The relevant inquiry should be what information did former St. Louis Cardinals employees steal from the St. Louis Cardinals organization prior to joining the Houston Astros, and who in the Houston Astros organization authorized, consented to, or benefitted from that roguish behavior.”

However, a source with knowledge of the investigation told the Post-Dispatch that Correa has admitted hacking into the Astros’ Ground Control database, but he said it was only “to verify whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data,” when former Cards’ GM Jeff Luhnow and other team employees moved to Houston. According to that source, Correa didn’t leak any Astros data and is not responsible for any of the other alleged hacks or leaks.

 

More to come.

 

Feature image used under Creative Commons from Ron Cogswell. No changes made. Image License.